So, the Radio 2 four-part documentary, then.

[PopArt]

I really loved the second episode. Perhaps more than the first as they haven't really ever looked back on those albums like that before. I also thought each album stood up well. I may well find myself reappraising some of them when they are reissued later this year. I was also pleased that Neil highlighted Love is a catastrophe. Whilst I think Release is a little incoherent that song is one of the real stand outs. It's so emotionally raw.

Completely agree re: Integral and Pandemonium. They screwed a lot of the single releases up in that era. Fundamental should have lead with Minimal as the first single, Integral as the second and then Numb as the last. And Yes should have had Pandemonium as the second single instead of Did you see me coming?

Was it just me or did the songs sound like they had been remastered? I'm sure I was hearing sounds on them that I haven't before.

[Drem]

I do really hope they would give us a hint about possible release date of "A Man from the Future" next Wednesday.

[Nickname]

Completely agree re: Integral and Pandemonium. They screwed a lot of the single releases up in that era. Fundamental should have lead with Minimal as the first single, Integral as the second and then Numb as the last. And Yes should have had Pandemonium as the second single instead of Did you see me coming?

For me:

Fundamental
1 - TSAGS
2 - Integral (album version)
3 - I'm with stupid (it was top 10)
4 - Numb or Minimal

Yes
1 - All over the world
2 - Pandemonium
3 - Love etc
4 - Did you see me coming?

[Gary1962]

Part 2 was excellent, Chris on fine form, can't believe Chris chose "Hold On" off Elysium", a dreadful song! Aside from that and "Winner", "Elysium" is an excellent album, very underrated. Great to hear "You Choose" off "Release", another album that deserves better recognition. "Fundamental" for me is a top class album, I've been a fan for 30 years and rate it in the Top 4 out of the albums they have released.

Part 3 should be interesting......dreading Part 4!

[tottenhammattspurs]

I've always liked Hold On. It's absolutely lush

[Tom Angel]

I LOVED Chris' comment on Hold on, that the fans are wrong!! It actually sounded quite good, and on a good stereo Elysium dumps on Electric sonically.

Hold on ACTUALLY sounded better on the radio for some reason! As did Winner - it's the chorus of Winner I hate, the verse and backing track is stunning. Should have been the instrumental that Happiness apparently isn't .

[grantwww]

BBC Music has a playlist based on Neil and Chris' choices.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/playlists/zzzzjm

[ZiggyPSB]

The taste of salt is delicious.

[jamie1978]

These Nightlife tracks sound fantastic.

Yes. They sound lusher... I think we're hearing re-mastered versions, surely?

everything sounds different on the radio due to the massive compression

[le petit corbusier]

These Nightlife tracks sound fantastic.

Yes. They sound lusher... I think we're hearing re-mastered versions, surely?

everything sounds different on the radio due to the massive compression

But it sounded better!

[artistinmass]

I'm glad that the second part threw some light on my earlier musings (i had posted in an earlier thread) - about whether they had some tried making new songs in the newer method that was detailed in The Song Factory by John Seabrook - that Xenomania who produced Yes, was a production house that embodied a more fragmented approach to song production.

[acrylicmoon]

As someone mentioned before several of us were indeed listening to Integral and Pandemonium utterly flummoxed that they weren't singles. But for the casual listener too no doubt, who may have wondered 'what ever are they doing now?' many were probably thinking why haven't I heard these songs before? Integral is basically It's a sin Pt 2. It's really sad and frustrating.

I'm still wondering why these songs weren't singles. It's a shame... absolutely shame. A few years ago SNL Korea - my country's famous TV station - used a snippet from Integral as opening music for one of their show. Kids had no clue about the song. They didn't know even who the Pet Shop Boys are - but they really loved it. Some kids dashed to internet and asked "Please tell me what's the song!"

[MikeyC]

I listened to both parts last night, back to back, online... It was such a wonderful, pleasurable experience and I was wearing a huge smile for the entire 2 hours. Thanks to those who included the links. Looking forward to the final two parts!

[NikacP0kac]

Burn sounds so damn good (from 03:50, 2nd part of the documentary, unfortunately Norton is blabbing over it).

[Zog]

One thing that stunned be was how euphoric the much reviled "Happiness is an Option" track from Nightlife. I always used to skip it. And apart from a naff section in the middle, the BBC chose to play the closing 90 seconds. And at first, I didn't recognize the track with Neil singing with the "diva", but it did sound surprisingly good. It's the first time I've listened to any of this track for around 15 years. And, it honestly didn't sound too bad. Possibly, because that (then) prominent musical style/beat is not so common now... whereas back then, it sounderd very pandering. And no doubt it was. But 15 plus years later, and a with "fresh"
set of ears, it actually sounded OK.

Incidentally quite a few people have asked why some of the tracks sound so good on the radio. Much of this has to do with the fact that radio stations use special equipment to usually compress the sound of the songs even more to make them more adaptable for more speaker "environments". Another words on most small radios.

-Zog